This invention relates to a plant field vacuuming apparatus and particularly to such apparatus specially constructed for simultaneously vacuuming a plurality of laterally spaced parallel rows of vegetables and like plants.
In the growing of vegetables, insects are a constant reoccuring destroyer of the plant and/or vegetable itself. Various insecticides have been developed over the years to control and eliminate the problem with the insects and thus protect the plant and increase the productivity. The side effects associated with insecticides however are often significant. In recent years, various insecticides which have heretofore been used have been, in fact, withdrawn from the market because of adverse side effects, and others are being subjected to critical analysis and possible withdrawal. An alternate use to the insecticide is the use of some means to remove the insects physically from the area and particularly the plants. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,673 which issued Aug. 4, 1987 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,174 which issued Feb. 27, 1979 discloses a system whereby a plant structure is enclosed and the insect is removed through a vacuum system. In order to completely process a field, a continuous vacuum system which moves over the field is required in order to adapt the vacuum system to cost effective cleansing of the field of the adverse insects.
Although various systems have been proposed, there is a need for a simple, reliable and effective vacuuming system.